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P4 Server Administration Documentation | 2025.2

# p4dctl commands

## Syntax

Category | Syntax
--- | ---
Control services | `p4dctl [ options ] start [ -t type ] -a` `p4dctl [ options ] start [ -t type ] name` `p4dctl [ options ] stop [ -t type ] -a` `p4dctl [ options ] stop [ -t type ] name` `p4dctl [ options ] restart [ -t type ] -a` `p4dctl [ options ] restart [ -t type ] name`
Checkpoints and journals | The `p4dctl checkpoint` command is similar to the `p4d -jc` command. `p4dctl [ options ] checkpoint -a` `p4dctl [ options ] checkpoint name`
Query services | `p4dctl [ options ] status [ -t type ] -a` `p4dctl [ options ] status [ -t type ] name` `p4dctl [ options ] list [ -t type ]` `p4dctl [ options ] list [ -t type ] name` `p4dctl [ options ] env [ -t type ] -a var [var…​]` `p4dctl [ options ] status [ -t type ] name var [var…​]`
Arbitrary command on the servers (or services) that match `name` | `p4dctl [options] exec -t type [-r] [-n] [-f] name -- arg` Executes the binary for the specified service matching `type` and `name` with the argument(s) specified after the `--` separator of two hyphens. The service binary is executed with the same environment variables that `p4dctl start` would set. Examples:
`p4dctl exec -t p4d name -- -xu` | when Upgrade the server
`p4dctl exec -t p4d -f master -- -cshow` | to verify the user, p4d binary, and P4ROOT
`p4dctl exec -t p4d -f master -- -V` | to execute `p4d -V` without having to check whether the p4d in your path is the p4d specified in the configuration of that instance

## Options

See also the meaning of variable names in Configuration file format.

Options | Meaning
--- | ---
`-a` | All servers.
`-c configFile` | Path to the configuration file Default: `/etc/perforce/p4dctl.conf`
`-f` | Force `exec` to execute the command even if that p4d instance is currently running.
`-n` | Used with `exec` to preview rather than run the command.
`-p pidDir` | Path to the pid file directory. Default: `/var/run`
`-q` | Send output to syslog instead of `STDOUT` or `STDERR`
`-r` | Restricts the `arg` arguments for `exec` to those explicitly included with the `exec` command. Without `-r`, if the service is configured with arguments, they are honored and any additional `arg` arguments in this `exec` command are appended.
`-t type` | The service type of the p4d instance to run, such as `p4d`, `p4p`, `p4broker`, and `other`.
`-v level` | Set debug level (`0`-`9`) For more information, see the description of the `P4DEBUG` environment variable in the P4 CLI Reference.
`-V` | Display version and exit.

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